DECUS 12 BIT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWSLETTER, Number 29, July 1978

This issue of the DECUS 12 Bit SIG Newsletter, coordinated by Robert Hassinger, provides updates, technical discussions, software announcements, and requests for assistance from its members. The newsletter is published bi-monthly in odd months.

Key highlights include:

• Newsletter Logistics: General contact information for contributions, upcoming submission deadlines (next for ready-to-use material is August 25, 1978), and contact details for SIG committees and working groups (Steering, RTS-8, Micro-8).
• RTS/8 Developments: The release of RTS/8 V3 is anticipated for Q1 1979, with field testing in Nov-Dec. Development on DECNET/8 is also underway. Lee Nichols provided details on MCR source code modifications for time conversion and solicited feedback on distributing minor RTS/8 enhancements. A significant discussion proposed adding a USERCD task to MCR, allowing users to define custom commands without modifying MCR itself.
• OS/8 System Innovations & Issues: Bob Phelps announced his working VIRTUAL/SHARED OS/8 for PDP-8s, enabling two users to run separate OS/8 copies with apparent 32K core in 12K physical memory, and shared several OS/8 CUSPS bugs he discovered. Michael Mazzoni reported on a Data Systems Design (DSD) 8-bit mode floppy disk handler that significantly increases storage capacity compared to DEC's 12-bit RX8E handlers and noted an OS/78 issue preventing standard utilities from running via the 'R' command.
• New Software Releases: George Gonzalez introduced FORTX, an extended OS/8 FORTRAN II version offering many FORTRAN IV features, available free to OS/8 users. C.E. Steuart Dewar detailed an 8-bit mode RX01 floppy disk handler with enhanced storage and ACID, an OS/8 document generator featuring automatic hyphenation. Mark J. Hyde offered several OS/8-compatible utilities, including UCNVRT (ASCII file exchange), DCTPNS (TC12F DECtape handler), and a PDP-8 simulator for PDP-15.
• Technical Discussions & Help Requests: C.J. Thompson presented a faster EEG signal averaging method for PDP-12 without needing an FPP-12, utilizing double precision accumulation. Robert Shumaker sought help with a FOCAL-12 data array overwriting problem, to which the editor responded by noting FOCAL-12's unsupported status and suggesting migration to OS/8. Fred Brandt reported a batch handler bug and shared a hardware solution for managing multiple terminals on a PDP-12, also inquiring about DECNET on PDP-8. William Gentles requested information on connecting a Kennedy 1600 tape drive and Pico 1058 controller to a PDP-8/L under OS/8. Jan Van Zee provided detailed patches for the LQP handler to adjust print pitch and enable backspace functionality.
• Hardware & Employment: Dave Kocsis from Intersil summarized their CMOS 12-bit microprocessor family (IM6100 series) components and advertised for PDP-8/OS8 assembly programmers. Information was also included on equipment for sale, such as a large PDP-12 system and an 8K paper tape 8F system.